European buyers prepared to shell out more for Darjeeling tea
Industry insiders report that tea from the Darjeeling region in India has been fetching higher prices from European buyers this year. According to producers, buyers from Europe are prepared to pay up to 18% more than last year, because they are satisfied with the quality of the crop. Particularly the more costly first and second flush teas seem to be in high demand, despite economic woes across the Eurozone. In recent years, Darjeeling's tea industry has sought to ensure high quality standards and protect the identity of its famous tea. The efforts seem to be paying off, with prices for better quality leaves reaching 30 per kilogram. That said, experts admit that there is still more to be done to protect the Darjeeling brand. For example, in 2011 there was four times more Darjeeling tea available on the global market than was actually produced in the region.